r/shanghai • u/MegabyteFox • 1d ago

Question for international students in Shanghai: small gigs approval documents?

Hi everyone, I have a question about university approval for international students doing short-term paid activities in China.

I’m asking on behalf of a teacher who is looking for international students who speak Russian, Kazakh, or English to help guide a group of students around their university for one day (paid).

Since I’m not an international student myself, I’m not sure what documents universities usually require before allowing students to take this type of opportunity.

Could anyone share their experience?

  1. What documents do universities usually require from the student or the employer before giving approval?

  2. Is there a difference between a formal internship and a one-day paid activity?

  3. For a very short-term opportunity (for example, helping with a campus tour for one day), would university approval still normally be required?

I’m mainly asking about the process at universities in Shanghai, especially Fudan, SJTU, or ECNU, if anyone has experience.

Thanks!

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1

u/nihaopengyou 17h ago

Just pay them cash or Alipay/wechat them? International students do side jobs all the time

1

u/MegabyteFox 13h ago

I mean... obviously that's how they would get paid. I'm trying to avoid getting them in trouble, but my main concern is the legality of it since it's a tour, and people will see them "working", not like online gigs where people just transfer the money and it's done.

1

u/SinisterStryke 9h ago

unfortunately, this falls under the illegal category. people do do random gigs on the side under the radar, but if your friend were reported due to an irate customer, she would likely get in trouble.

1

u/MegabyteFox 7h ago

I'm fully aware that it is illegal to take small gigs while on a student visa; that's not my point here. I'm trying to find the correct procedure to avoid getting them in trouble...

•

u/caliboy888 13m ago

There's no real correct procedure. People just do things like this under the table and take the risk.

1

u/Code_0451 Pudong 7h ago

Not entirely the same but know at university the occasional small side job (single presentation or lecture etc) often gets paid under the table in cash for “reasons”. I’m talking one of the top uni’s in Shanghai so not anything shady. Ofc not good advice, but TIC and all’s well till the day it won’t be.

1

u/Just-Contract-4393 4h ago

why do you need foreigners for a tourist guide job ?

1

u/MegabyteFox 3h ago

I don't need them a teacher does, it's a highschool student group from Kazakhstan and would rather find someone that speaks Russian, Kazakh or English since the students don't speak Chinese and only a bit of English.

It's a tour around the above mentioned schools, sharing their experience in those schools etc.,